Visiting Glacier National Park entails travelling the Going-To-The-Sun road. Vehicle length and width restrictions are posted as well no bicycle use during peak hours. Our first day we took a drive to get a "lay of the land" and decide what was important to revisit.
The road hugs the side of sheer rock mountains. I can't comprehend the fearlessness of workers who completed this endeavor in 1932
Around every corner there is breathtaking beauty
Many, many waterfalls from snowmelt
A "Weeping Wall" that showers your car
Meadows filled with bear grass.
In 1850 Glacier National Park boasted over 150 glaciers. Now there are 25 and are mostly on the eastern side of the park. Here is one.
We traveled from west to east. This is St Mary's Lake near the East Glacier entrance
We could see the damage done by the July 2015 fire along St Mary's Lake. Going-To-The-Sun road was closed until mid-August
We stood in line to take the park shuttle. Due to vehicle size restrictions, each shuttle that goes to Logan Pass only holds 8 passengers. Being that the Park is in full season, the wait was crazy long and there is just not enough shuttles. So we jumped out of line and into the car. Now we can't get a parking spot at the top and it is prior to 10am. Note to self: Leave even earlier in the morning!
If you don't want to drive or take the park shuttle, the Red Bus Tour comes highly recommended. I wish we would have done it. Everyone said it was great!
These look like so much fun. The top rolls back so the ride is open air. Four passengers in each row. I call shotgun!
Two days later and an hour earlier we drove to Logan Pass and didn't waste time waiting in line for a shuttle. A marmot greeted us at Logan Pass.
Logan Pass is at the Continental Divide and the starting point for the hike we took to Hidden Lake Viewpoint. There was a boardwalk at the beginning, then some snow to traverse.
Hidden Lake viewpoint where we saw mountain goats who are part of a current study
Their collars are programmed to fall off in three years so the mountain goats won't have to bothered for removal.
McDonald Creek at Red Rock. The color of the water is several shades of amazing blue. The river rocks are smooth and colorful.
This is the sound of a rushing river, not rushing traffic.
Inside of Glacier Park are a few privately owned homesteads. We heard some stories from the great-granddaughter of a homesteader near Polebridge. Tim had worked with her husband and we met up for dinner. they told us to stop at the "Merc" for a pastry. I had a huckleberry bears claw.
I guess not everyone could keep up their property.
Hungry Horse Dam on the Flathead River
Flathead Lake south of Kalispell
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